Days 20/21/22/23/24/25 of 30 Thankful Days

Ack...somehow this month has gotten away from me!  Or maybe I can blame it on the holiday weekend? (Forgive me...this draft has been sitting in my posts since November 25th...).

In any case...

Day 20:



In detail:
I love that I can look up from traffic and see beautiful trees.  Or enjoy the simple pleasure of a cozy night curled up on the couch with the sound of rain on the windowpane.  I love the small moments when I take a breath to pay attention to the world around me.


Day 21:



In detail:
Sometimes I get very frustrated with the world around me and the state of our country and society.  I get worried about the directions the world is going and the choices we as a people are making.

And then, every once in a while, I get a chance to watch or interact with some of today's amazing youth.  I read a story (like this one), or see the young priesthood holders in in the family ward reverently passing the sacrament, or spend some time with my younger friends.  And I'm reminded of the potential and hope in the next generation.

Day 22:



In detail:
I love my family.  We are weird, goofy, frequently completely non-traditional, and we can laugh at the oddest things.  We've faced more challenges than I can recount (some horrible, and some not so bad in retrospect). Among it all we've stuck by each other.  None of us is perfect, but I think we might be the perfect fit for each other.  I'm grateful that I can look back at the ways we've strengthened each other and made each other better versions of ourselves.

Day 23:



In detail:
I might be a little crazy (those who know me might say I'm a lot crazy).  I did the Black Friday shopping thing.  Myself and a group of friends left the house at 11pm.  Most of them gave up along the way (a couple at 3, another at 4, 5, etc.).  But my friend Jessica and I stuck it out until almost 9am.  Yes, I realize that's 10 hours of shopping, overnight.  And you know what, I had a blast.  And got some good deals.  But at the end of it all, I was just really glad to be done and to curl up in my comfy bed and let my eyes close.

Day 24:



In detail:

I frequently say "laugh or cry" and I'd much rather laugh at something than cry about it.  For one, it's better exercise.  For another it leaves you much less puffy and red-nosed than crying.

And most importantly, I think it helps put challenges and trials in perspective.  Yes, they are more than we feel we can bear (otherwise what would be the point - they wouldn't help us grow), but they are also not the end.  They're just a step along the path.  And in my experience, they are usually balanced by blessings which are either equal to or greater than the challenge.  And facing them with a sense of humor, usually makes them easier to face.

Now if only I could keep that in mind ALL the time...

Day 25:

In detail:

With vacation nearly over, I succumbed to a nasty cold.  With both my roommates gone, and intending to keep myself sequestered from my family in fear they would get sick, I was grateful to have Kleenex and NyQuil on hand.

And even more grateful for the kindness of my friend Jessica who surprised me with orange juice and chicken soup (in a tasty bread bowl).  She was my hero for the day.  And my mom's hero (since my mom wanted to be able to take care of me but couldn't).

Day 19 of 30 Thankful Days

Day 19: I'm grateful for opportunities to be of service.

In detail:

In large part, my life is filled with self-serving tasks (work, shopping, wasting time on leisure pursuits).  And while I enjoy many of these activities, I have found that when I really think about it, I most enjoy opportunities to serve others.  I may not always enjoy the task itself (although many times I do), but I ALWAYS enjoy the feeling of helping someone and making a positive impact, however small, on the world.

I love the scripture "...when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."  Mosiah 2:17.

I have a testimony of the love that the Lord has for each of us.  And I know that he sees our wants and needs.  I'm grateful that he also gives us the opportunity to see all his children through his eyes and to share in the amazing experience of being an answer to someone's prayers.

It is sometimes hard to remember to embrace service opportunities when I'm caught up in my every day life, but each time I do, I am richly rewarded and feel a strengthened desire to seek out further opportunities.

Day 18 of 30 Thankful Days

Day 18: I'm grateful that each of us is unique with different talents, skills, and interests. Otherwise life would be so boring...

In detail:

In our current culture of "equality" I think we sometimes mistake equality for being "the same".  I'm very grateful that we are not all the same.  That we're all very different.

Even though I may not agree with the views and beliefs of everyone I know, or be interested in all the same things, I appreciate that those different views, beliefs, and interests exist.  I think if we were all "the same" the world would be a pretty boring place.  And it wouldn't function very well.  

I think it's a blessing that I may be good at genealogy but not that good at construction.  Or that some people are great at math and finances but not so good with cooking.  Or athletic, but not great writers.  Not only does it allow us to focus on our talents and develop them, it allows us to depend on each other and work together for common goals.

I sometimes look around a room and feel like I get a rare glimpse at how Heavenly Father sees us.  Every person looks a little different and each personality is unique.  But each is beautiful and special and has something to offer the world.  

I appreciate the concept of equality.  And I think each of us should be valued for our strengths and talents, none more important than another in the whole that makes up our human experience.  But I also think that we should be celebrating our differences and reveling in the variety and beauty of Heavenly Father's creations.

Day 17 of 30 Thankful Days

Day 17: I'm grateful for friends, especially the ones you feel at home with even when you don't see them every day.

In detail:

I feel very blessed by the friends I've had throughout my life.  Among all the things that make day to day life better, I think friends and family rank pretty near the top.  And I'm particularly grateful for some of the friends I've been able to keep in touch with through the years.

I think the mark of true friends are the ones that you can go long periods of time between talking to or visiting with, and when you see each other again, it's as if no time has passed.  I think there's something pretty special about a bond like that and I'm grateful for those bonds in my life and the strength and comfort they give me in challenges. 

I hope I can be friend like that as well and give by that same support to those around me.

Day 16 of 30 Thankful Days

Day 16: I'm grateful for family history and the joy I get from working on my own and other's.

In detail:

I'm not sure why, but I have always been fascinated by family history (genealogy).  Ever since I was a small child I've loved watching old home movies, looking at old family photos, or listening to stories about my ancestors.

I think the stereotypical age to become interested in genealogy is sometime after retirement.  I started working with old school pedigree charts when I was 12.  I'm 'only' 32 and I can say I've been working on my family history for somewhere around 20 years...

It has been amazing to see the development of the resources and technology available over the past 20 years.  I remember the first time I walked into a family history center, armed with my paper pedigree charts and my floppy disks.  I'm pretty sure the internet wasn't even involved at all.  20 years later I do almost all my research online, upload the information to the new.familysearch.org website, and can print temple ordinance requests online.

And the volume of information available in digitized records, worldwide, is pretty astounding.  And it's growing every day.

I'm trying to teach myself not to work on family history late at night, especially on weeknights.  There have been a few too many mornings where I asked myself, why did I stay up until 3am on Ancestry.com.  And some of those times, I haven't even been working on my own family's history.

I think the thing that makes family history so special to me is the deep feeling that these aren't just names on a chart; these are real people.  Who led real lives.  And I am privileged enough to take a peek into their lives and get to know them a little.

And the icing on the cake:  taking the names of my family members to the temple and completing the ordinances they didn't have access to during their lives.  That experience is truly indescribably wonderful.

Day 15 of 30 Thankful Days

Day 15: I'm grateful that I have an amazing view of the temple on my way home from work every day.

In detail:

Since I've started my new job, I have a completely new path of commute.  Instead of taking 680 North to work, I now take 580 West.  Mileage-wise it's only about 2 miles different each way.  Time-wise it's between 10-20 minutes longer each way.

There are a couple things about my new commute that I'm not terribly happy about:  The traffic is quite a bit more congested, and I no longer have the option of stopping at my parents' house on the way home.  

However, I have discovered that calling and talking to my parents on the way home makes the commute much more enjoyable, and also makes me a more courteous driver.

But I think my favorite thing about my new commute, particularly when coupled with the recent time change which results in me driving home after dark every evening, is that for a portion of my drive I can look up and see the beautiful shinning sight of the temple on the hill.  And it is beautiful.  And it is bright.  And every single time it reminds me that that is where I need to keep my focus and that that is the direction I always want to be going in.

And that is pretty awesome.

Day 14 of 30 Thankful Days

Day 14: I'm grateful for music.

In detail:

I don't express it very often, at least not in so many words, but I really do love music.  For a lot of reasons:

1)  Music can carry memories
Just a snippet of a song can bring me back to the first time I danced with a boy in high school, or a sunny day dancing around the kitchen as a child, or my mom kneeling by my bed as she sings me to sleep.

2)  Music can influence emotion
When I really think about it, what is it in movies that really makes me scared, or sad, or tear up at something sappy?  The music behind the scenes.  When I've had a bad day, I only need to pop in some upbeat music to lift my spirits and inspire an impromptu dance party.  If I need some peace in a hectic day, I can listen to some hymns.  It's amazing how quickly and how deeply music can affect my emotions.

3)  Music passes the time
I love driving.  But I think part of the reason I love driving is that I get to listen to music.  Occasionally I actually look forward to an extra long commute if I have some new music to enjoy along the way.  And I can't imagine a long road trip without some great tunes!